Speech #970156738

Mr. Speaker. there exists widespread documentation of the drop in Soviet Jewish emigration and of gross human rights violations on the part of Soviet officials. I rise today to voice my objection to that state of affairs. Emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union has dropped drastically in recent years. from 21.471 exits in 1980 to 9.447 in 1981. and is now at a rate that is the lowest of the past decade. Reduced emigration reflects not only a denial of basic and accepted human rights. but a direct violation of provisions of the Final Act of the Helsinki Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Soviet Union. a signatory to the act. has consistently violated that portion of the act which establishes the right of all persons to emigrate. Various explanations for the reduced emigration level exist. The Soviet Union allows Jews to leave only in two casesin order to return to their homeland of Israel and in order to be reunited with direct family. In most cases. application to emigrate is contingent on having an invitation to Join family members in Israel. Having won release from the Soviet Union. some emigrants drop out of the migration to Israel and choose to settle in some other country instead. This contradicts the emigrants stated interest in returning to his homeland or family. and points to discontent with life in the Soviet Union as the real reason for emigration. Obviously. these cases embarrass Soviet officials and challenge their claim that human rights in the Soviet Union are fully protected. Probably a more powerful reason for the reduced level of emigration. however. is the decline in detente between the United States and the Soviet Union. Increasing hostility in relations among the superpowers leaves the Soviet Union little incentive to behave in accordance with declared American interests. Simultaneous with the decrease in emigration has been an increase in Soviet antiSemitism. Personal harassment of known Jews by the KGB and the MVD is manifest. and. increasingly. reports revealing official Soviet efforts to suppress and eradicate expression of Jewish culture are heard. Disruption of Jewish religious meetings and celebrations. confiscation of religious property. and incarceration of prominent Jewish leaders and worshippers. are not unusual. Like its emigration policy. the Soviet Unions official antiSemitism contradict3 its declaration to honor international agreements on human rightsagreements which in this case call for an end to racial discrimination and a prohibition on efforts to promote racial superiority. Congressional attempts to secure the release of several wellknown refuseniksJews who have been refused permission to emigratereflect admirable concern for the plight. of Soviet Jews. The effort to broaden Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union must not be relaxed. but should be expanded to show concern for all Russians who desire. for any reason. to leave the Soviet Union. The contradictions and injustice inherent in Soviet emigration policy are obvious. and I am hopeful that my colleagues of both political parties will urge the Soviets to adopt a fair and open emigration policy.*